LIFT Ministries and the Spirit of Luke Foundation are partnering with the Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW) for a community giveaway and health fair on Saturday at 299 Kingsbend Road.

The program, ā€œReaching Out for Healthier Community,ā€ is a giveaway and health fair from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Food, clothing, medical projects and hygiene items will be given away. Doctors will also be on hand for medical examinations and answer health questions.ĢżĢż

A $10 VISA gift card will be given to the eventā€™s first 20 participants.Ģż

LaTanglia Dozier, event co-chair, said the VFW is important for several reasons.

ā€œThe VFW is ·čæĶÖ±²„ā€™s best-kept secret,ā€ Dozier said. ā€œThe VFW provides support and resources for veterans, including assistance with obtaining benefits, access to health care, and help with transitioning back to civilian life. They also offer financial assistance for veterans in need. The VFW advocates for veterans’ rights and interests at the local, state, and national levels. They work to ensure that veterans receive the benefits and support they deserve. Overall, the VFW plays a crucial role in supporting and advocating for veterans, preserving their legacy, and promoting patriotism and respect for those who have served our country.ā€

If anyone wants to participate as a vendor, contact Dozier at 334-412-8168. Transportation will also be provided.

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Frances Williams Bumbrey never thought that a breast cancer diagnosis would happen to her.

However, in 2012, her life changed when she was diagnosed in Montgomery.

ā€œI always had mammograms even when I lived in other cities before moving back here,ā€ she said. ā€œI did have my first mammogram here and then they sent me to Montgomery and they saw something.

ā€œIt was just I canā€™t believe this,ā€ she said talking about her reaction to the diagnosis. ā€œI thought I had done everything I was supposed to do. Examines each month and annual exams and trying to eat the right foods. I guess it was just my time. There was no history of breast cancer in my family. My father had had cancer and other members of my family but not breast cancer.ā€

After the diagnosis treatment began.

ā€œI didnā€™t have to have chemotherapy but I did have radiation treatment,ā€ she said. ā€œI do go every year to the cancer center in Montgomery to be examined.ā€

Bumbrey said the exams now are to just make sure that the cancer does not come back and that her body is still healing well.

ā€œThe treatment ā€¦ I went through it weekly,ā€ she said. ā€œI didnā€™t really get sick but I was tired after the treatment. There were a lot of things I could not do like driving but I could continue my daily life and participate in various things. I was also diagnosed with Parkinsonā€™s in 2015. I went from one thing to another. Iā€™m able to do some things and Iā€™m blessed that Iā€™m able to do these things. I try not to give up and feel sorry for myself. Thereā€™s some people that are worse off than I am. Iā€™m blessed that Iā€™m able to do the things I can do.

ā€œI encourage ladies and young ladies to do self-exams once a month and to make sure they go to the doctors for exams,ā€ she said. ā€œWe just have to take care of ourselves.ā€

Bumbrey is a retired educator and she said the need to provide a public service by educating other women about breast cancer still keeps her working hard.

ā€œI think education is most important, and I want to do whatever I can to help our children or as Dr. (Avis) Williams calls them, our scholars,ā€ she said.

When asked what she would tell others that find out they are diagnosed with cancer Bumbrey said she would tell them to first ā€œpray about it.ā€

ā€œThe Lord has helped me through so much,ā€ she said. ā€œHe is the only one that can help you through this. If it had not been for Him, I would not be able to even talk right now. I wouldā€™ve gone into the house, closed the door and pulled the covers over my head but thatā€™s not the type of person that I am. I try to be a fighter and do as much as I can and enjoy life. I like people and I enjoy traveling and doing other things.ā€

Bumbrey said she is cancer free now.

Bumbrey is a native of Opelika but said both parents are from ·čæĶÖ±²„.

Bumbrey is also a member of the ·čæĶÖ±²„ Chapter of The Links, Inc. which has an event, Links in Pink, coming up on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to noon. The event offers free exams and information about breast cancer.

Bumbrey said the event is important to her.

ā€œIt helps us realize that so many of us have survived but there are also people who have not,ā€ she said. ā€œMany of us have family members who have had cancer and we are trying to make everyone aware of the disease and so many of us wish we could eradicate.ā€

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Imagine a colony of yellow jackets the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, filled with 15,000 of the stinging insects. Now, imagine more than 90 of these super nests in Alabama. It happened in 2006, and Charles Ray, an entomologist working with theĢż, said that 2019 may be shaping up to mirror that year.

Perennial Yellow Jacket Nests

Itā€™s called a perennial yellow jacket nest. Entomologists believe that milder winters combined with an abundant food supply allow some colonies to survive and enter spring with much larger numbers. Additionally, the normal cues that would cause queens to disperse may not happen. Researchers have documented that these massive colonies often have multiple queens.

A normal yellow jacket nest is usually located in the ground or a cavity. It may peak at 4,000 to 5,000 workers that do not survive cold weather, leaving queens to disperse and form new colonies in the spring.

The perennial yellow jacket nests that concern Ray bear little resemblance to normal colonies.

ā€œThese perennial nests may be several feet wide and have many thousands of workers, far more than an average nest,ā€ Ray said. ā€œWe have found them attached to home exteriors and other places you might not expect to find yellow jackets.

ā€œThe most workers I have counted in a perennial nest is about 15,000 or about 3 to 4 times more than a normal nest,ā€ said Ray, who is also a research fellow inĢż. ā€œHowever, one nest in South Carolina was documented with more 250,000 workers.ā€

Large Numbers

Ray believes that the state may see large numbers of perennial nests this year.

ā€œWe confirmed two nests in May and have indications of a third,ā€ he said. ā€œThis puts us several weeks earlier than in 2006, when we identified the first giant nest on June 13.

ā€œIf we are seeing them a month sooner than we did in 2006, I am very concerned that there will be a large number of them in the state. The nests I have seen this year already have more than 10,000 workers and are expanding rapidly.ā€

In 2006, nests were located in multiple counties with the most northern location occurring in Talladega County.

Important Tips

Ray offers important tips for people who think they may have a giant yellow jacket colony on their property.

ā€œFirst and foremost, do not disturb the nest,ā€ said Ray. ā€œWhile these giant nests often appear less aggressive than smaller colonies, it is important that people do not disturb the nests.ā€

Next, Ray wants people to contact him so he can document the nest and collect insect specimens. People should contact him by email atĢżraychah@auburn.edu.

Finally, if people need to have nests removed, Ray says it is a task only for licensed commercial pest control operators. He warns that even some commercial operators will not tackle these giant perennial yellow jacket nests.

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Cold and flu season is upon us and people across the state are already feeling the effects.

According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, there have already been 80 ā€œinfluenza-relatedā€ non-pediatric deaths confirmed this year and an additional two pediatric deaths.

However, as recently as Nov. 3, the ADPH reported ā€œno significant influenzaā€ in Dallas County.

The department said the outburst of influenza is ā€œnot a pandemic flu situation, but a major seasonal flu situation.ā€ A pandemic flu is one in which new strains of the virus are created and nearly everyone is susceptible to infection with vaccines being more difficult to secure.

Area healthcare agencies are reminding people to take steps to protect themselves and family members from the flu. In a press release, MainStreet Family Care, a branch that operates in ·čæĶÖ±²„, issued the following guidelines:

ā€¢ Wash your hands ā€“ A well-known defense against cold and flu sickness is to wash your hands. ā€œWashing your hands regularly can radically decrease your risk of becoming sick,ā€ said MainStreet Family Care Medical Director Dr. Timbo Taylor. ā€œImportant times to wash your hands include while caring for someone who is sick, after using the restroom, after changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Make sure that each time you wash your hands you are doing so for at least 20 seconds.ā€

ā€¢ Avoid close contact with others ā€“ When it comes to family, especially children, this tip may not be a possibility, but intentionally avoiding those who have symptoms of cold and flu can prevent you from getting the illness. ā€œDonā€™t shake someoneā€™s hand unless itā€™s necessary,ā€ Taylor said. ā€œIf you canĢżget away with a simple, ā€˜Hello, nice to meet you,ā€™ then do so, but if you have to shake hands wash your hands as soon as possible.ā€

ā€¢ Exercise ā€“ ā€œWorking out enhances your immune system,ā€ Taylor said. ā€œYour immune system directly affects how easily you will become sick.ā€

ā€¢ Eat healthy ā€“ ā€œEating healthy also builds your immune system,ā€ Taylor said. ā€œEating vegetables, fruits and plenty of fresh foods can make a big difference. Also, load up on Vitamin C-rich foods as Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant. Some of these foods include cantaloupe, oranges, broccoli and cauliflower.ā€

ā€¢ Use sanitizers ā€“ ā€œNot only should you keep hand sanitizer with you when you arenā€™t able to wash your hands, but also sanitize your home, especially while cooking food and if someone in your household is sick,ā€ Taylor said.

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Co-founded by college friends, the organizationā€™s mission is to rally one million black women by 2020 to establish a life-saving habit of daily walking.

GirlTrek is currently planning a Road to ·čæĶÖ±²„ initiative. The initiative will end with aĢż Summer of ·čæĶÖ±²„ festival May of 2019.

Summer of ·čæĶÖ±²„ will retrace the steps of the historic 54-mile walk from ·čæĶÖ±²„ to Montgomery.

The director of communications for GirlTrek reached out to Ainka Jackson, executive director of the ·čæĶÖ±²„ Center for Nonviolence, Truth and Reconciliation, about starting local treks.Ģż

Jackson, along with other female leaders in ·čæĶÖ±²„ met with two GirlTrek employees to discuss GirlTrek in ·čæĶÖ±²„.

ā€œThe partnership was ideal as the ·čæĶÖ±²„ Center focuses on violence in all forms including physical violence,ā€ Jackson said. ā€œWe are looking forward to this festival, which will bring national attention and tourism to ·čæĶÖ±²„.ā€

Jackson and co-event organizer Krystal Dozier, along with other women throughout ·čæĶÖ±²„ have accepted the challenge to walk for at least 30 minutes a day for the next 100 days.

ā€œWeā€™re excited about walking our way to the freedom that healthiness brings and winning prizes through GirlTrek,ā€ Jackson said.

Dozier said she is happy to walk the historic path of those before her.

ā€œAfter attending the informational meeting held by representatives of GirlTrek, I felt the need to organize a circle of women to walk,ā€ Dozier said. ā€œAs a member of the Historic Tabernacle Baptist Church, home of the first meeting for the Voting Rightā€™s Movement, it was fitting to start here and walk to the Edmund Pettus Bridge.ā€

The trekkers walk Monday through Saturday, at Bloch Park at 8 a.m. and Sundays at 6:30 p.m. at Tabernacle Baptist Church.

The next trek will be Sunday, Aug. 26 at 6:30 p.m. The group will meet at Tabernacle Baptist Church and walk to the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

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Get Fit ·čæĶÖ±²„ will have an update and promotions rally on Aug. 20 at The Coffee Shoppe on 308 Broad St. from 5:30 ā€“ 7 p.m.

ā€œWe will mainly talk about some of the new things we have added,ā€ said Stephanie Hamm the event organizer ā€œWe will have fliers, posters and the list of businesses that we have traditionally approached about having a poster at their business, so we want to update them on the things we have recruited.ā€

Hamm said another new item they will discuss is the 5K race,ā€ said Hamm. ā€œThe normal price of entry is $25 and $15, but if churches or schools or athletic departments want to put together a team between five and 10 members, they get a price cut. We want to make sure everybody knows that.

ā€œOur goal is to make an event that makes Dallas County healthier,ā€ Hamm said.

Added events include Ellen McKnight, a wellness educator and coach, and founder of The Maxine Firm.

Double Dutch Aerobics also will be at the event, and the Birmingham VA RV, which screens area veterans also will be at the event.

Human hamster balls also will be at the event.

This year, the free day-long event will take place Oct. 20.

ā€œItā€™s an extension of a health fair that Dr. Bruce Taylor put on for seven years,ā€ Hamm said. ā€œ[Taylor] asked a group of us that were on the Board of Directors for McRae Learning Center if we would take it on as a community service to the community of ·čæĶÖ±²„ and as a fundraiser for McRae.ā€

However, even with all the fun things in store, Hamm said the most important part of the event is the health education.

ā€œItā€™s a way to address, in a fun, but educational way, the primary disease groups that threaten Selmians and residents of Dallas County,ā€ she said. ā€œThose are hypertension, diabetes, type 2 diabetes and they are aggravated by obesity and an inactive lifestyle. That is what weā€™re trying to address.ā€

Eventually we want to build an environment of healthy activity, healthy eating and understanding the importance of being active in order to prevent the life-threatening diseases,ā€ Hamm said.

The schedule of the events includes the following:
8 a.m. Defeat Diabetes 5K Run and Community Fun Run registration opens at 6:30 a.m.
8:15 a.m. community one-mile fun run/walk
9 a.m. Free Health Screening
9:30 a.m. health education and vendor fair and Letā€™s Move Kidā€™s Challenge
10 a.m. exercise and fitness expo
11:30 a.m. healthy food happening
1:30 p.m. B.O.S.S. Youth League Basketball Tournament at the School of Discovery.

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For 10 years, Jarrin Lewis has been dedicated to his fitness journey. After moving back to ·čæĶÖ±²„, he decided to start his own business encouraging and helping others do the same.

ā€œIt was something I hadnā€™t seen anybody really do in the area, and I felt it was also needed here,ā€ he said. ā€œI had some help putting it together and it just took off from there and grew.ā€

Lewis started Iron Fittness in 2015 as a small boot camp, and this weekend the organization will be celebrating its third anniversary Saturday morning at Bloch Park at 6:30 p.m.

The celebration will include Zumba, pound fitness, kickboxing, boot camp and CrossFit style workouts, but Lewis said the workouts are only a part of it. He said he thinks the entire event will be special for everyone to come together to enjoy each other and promote health and wellness, especially in the city. Ģż

ā€œMore than anything, this anniversary will be more of a celebration,ā€ he said. ā€œWeā€™re looking forward to seeing some new and old faces, having a great time, fellowship and of course have a great workout.ā€

Lewis also instructs the Total Toning class at the YMCA every Tuesday and Thursday. He said teaching the classes have helped start the following for Iron Fittness.

He said there have been ups and downs, but he is grateful to the faithful and dedicated clients he has.

ā€œWeā€™ve been able to maintain a motivated and dedicated group over the years,ā€ he said. ā€œWe thank all of our clients new and old. Theyā€™ve hung with us through it all and we value and appreciate them greatly. If it wasnā€™t for them we wouldnā€™t be here.ā€

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Flesh eating bacteria are occasionally found in Alabama waters.

Alabamaā€™s Department of Health recently sent out a warning after several cases of people contracted Vibrio.

Vibrio can be found on the Alabama Gulf Coast, in areas like Mobile, Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. VibrioĢżincrease in abundance when the waters warm up above 68 degrees between May and October in the Gulf.ĢżĢż

Vibrio prefer brackish water best, a mixture of fresh and sea water found where rivers meet the sea. Bays and inland waters store Vibrios.

ā€œAt this time of year, youā€™ll see Vibrio in coastal waters,ā€ said Dr. Karen Landers of the Alabama Department of Public Health. ā€œItā€™s natural habitat is the coast. Iā€™m not an environmentalist, but in terms of water, you can see Vibrio in the water.ā€

Vibrio illness symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, chills, fever, shock, skin lesions and wound infections. If a person has a compromised immune system, the bacteria can infect the bloodstream and could die.

Landers, however, hasnā€™t ruled out Vibrio being found in rivers. The Alabama River is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa Rivers. It flows west to ·čæĶÖ±²„ until 45 miles from Mobile where it unites with the Tombigbee, forming the Mobile and Tensaw Rivers and discharges into Mobile Bay.

ā€œItā€™s more commonly found in coastal and brackish water, but weā€™ve had a case where it showed up in rivers,ā€ Dr. Landers said.

The school year may have just started, but people will visit the Alabama Coast until Labor Day weekend. People also fish in rivers all year long and the temperatures donā€™t cool off until the end of October.

Landers offers advice to those who contract Vibrio.

ā€œYou have to be aware of safety and health,ā€ Dr. Landers said. ā€œIf you sustain a cut in river or coastal water, carefully clean the cut and go to the doctor. Cuts and scrapes can be severe.ĢżWhile there are numerous infections each year, a small number of people develop serious or sometimes fatal infections.ā€

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Vaughan Regional Medical Center introduced OB/GYN physician Shawnequa Brown to its staff on Friday.

The Orange Beach, South Carolina native will be on the staff of Dr. Mike Stevens, the hospitalā€™s other OB/GYN. Her first official day is Wednesday.

Brown was previously employed at Sumter Family Health Center in Sumter, South Carolina. Before that, she spent five years at Eau Claire Community Health Center in Columbia, South Carolina.

ā€œWhen I interviewed here, I saw the need for an OB/GYN in the community,ā€ Brown said. ā€œI have always been drawn to working with the disadvantaged and underprivileged. The area seems to have a strong sense of community. Everyone knows each other.ā€

During the interview process, Brown loved the Vaughan Regional Medical Center facilities.

ā€œVaughan Regionalā€™s CEO, David McCormack, is pretty receptive to the need of the doctors and improving access to taking care of the community,ā€ Brown said. ā€œThe size of the hospital and access to specialists is what impressed me.ā€

Stevens, who has worked the last 12 years at Vaughan Regional Medical Center, believes Brownā€™s experience will be a great asset.

ā€œItā€™s a big deal to have her here,ā€ Stevens said. ā€œThereā€™s no place that needs another OB/GYN than us. We have a potentially sick population base.ā€

Brown, 41, set the guidelines for her new job.

ā€œMy goal is to provide services here so patients can stay local and not have to travel for services,ā€ Brown said.

Brown has a ·čæĶÖ±²„ connection. Her brother-in-law, the Rev. Reginald Wells, and his family are ·čæĶÖ±²„ residents. She is married to Eric Brown, whoā€™s retired from the U.S. Army. They have three children: Joshua (14), Chase (11) and Madelyn (five).

She admits leaving her home state was a difficult choice.

ā€œI hated leaving my family and friends,ā€ Brown said. ā€œEvery new chapter has a new story. God places us where we need to be.ā€

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By ADAM DODSONĢż| The ·čæĶÖ±²„ Times-Journal

With New Yearā€™s Day and the start of 2018 right around the corner, people will begin making their resolutions for self-improvement.

These goals often include eating healthier and getting in shape. Local recreational centers and gyms often see a spike in memberships around the start of the new year.

According to fitness instructors around ·čæĶÖ±²„, however, many of these resolutions fail to make significant progress.

One university psychology study looked into the effectiveness of New Yearā€™s resolutions on individualsā€™ lives.

What they found was a low success rate, with only 8 percent following through with their resolution to make a meaningful difference.

Yet 45 percent of people in the study claim they do make resolutions, which shows that people do make the effort but often fall short.

Mia Suggs, a cycling fitness instructor at the YMCA, offered some insight into why people lose sight of their resolutions.

ā€œI tell people not to make resolutions, but to make goals instead,ā€ Suggs said. ā€œPeople do not realize that fitness is a lifestyle change and requires progress in small increments. You canā€™t lose 100 pounds all at once.ā€

Not only do some people make resolutions that seem overwhelming, but individuals eager to get back in shape often do not understand the rigor of the workouts they signed up for.

Tommy Weber, an AFAA-certified personal trainer for ·čæĶÖ±²„ Crossfit, has seen members of the community sign up for his Crossfit training only to take it lightly.

With Crossfit, an individual is put through a full-body workout, and skipping multiple days would put a member on the brink of exhaustion when they returned.

To Weber, the decision to live a healthier lifestyle all starts with commitment. He always understands the importance of rewards and results in order to help his clients stay motivated.

Like Suggs, Weber believes that smaller goals that are easier to achieve sparks motivation more than large resolutions do.

ā€œIt is easy to make excuses, especially with people who live busy lives.ā€ said Weber. ā€œBut there is no way to outwork a bad diet, so it all starts there.ā€

Fitness centers such as the YMCA, ·čæĶÖ±²„ Crossfit and In Shape Fitness are all expecting a mass influx of people in their gyms once the holidays are over, with many believing the new year is a fresh start for them.

Suggs describes the scene at the YMCA as ā€œboomingā€ after New Years. Classes are strewn across their schedules with eager new participants hoping to reach their personal goals.

Getting them to stay motivated after the first week or two proves to be a tough task.

In order to adequately motivate members to return, sometimes instructors have to be creative and assertive.

David Johnson, owner and trainer at In Shape Fitness, says that he reaches out to members who are no-shows and also attempts to personalize each workout to best fit the individual.

ā€œWe offer different classes that reflect the different things people want to do. We attempt to provide a variety of options that are constantly evolving in order to keep people motivated,ā€ Johnson said. ā€œA lot of individuals get intimidated because of a lack of knowledge of how to work out properly.ā€

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